HALIFAX, Nova Scotia—In November, Immunovaccine Inc. reported that it had received Sunnybrook Research Institute regulatory clearance from Health Canada to start recruiting for a Phase 2 clinical study of a triple-combination immunotherapy in patients with measurable or recurrent diffuse large B cell lymphoma. The study will assess the safety and efficacy of DPX-Survivac, Immunovaccine’s lead product candidate, in combination with Merck’s pembrolizumab and low-dose cyclophosphamide.

Frederic Ors, CEO of Immunovaccine, said that “Despite promising results observed in the treatment of DLBCL with cutting-edge monotherapies like checkpoint inhibitors, a significant number of patients still do not respond to treatment … Through complementary mechanisms of action, we believe the combination of DPX-Survivac and pembrolizumab could amplify T cell production and infiltration to help realize the desired immune response in a broader range of patients with this type of cancer.”